Datsyuk Going To His Actual Home. In Russia. Finally.

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

https://www.bardown.com/bob-mckenzi...sQ1Cza1tu-xb0RMCtEweF2W8UCs2OMpk4zlXOJRDdEAPI
Bob McKenzie weighs in on the potential of Pavel Datsyuk returning to the NHL

BarDown Staff

At 40 years young, Pavel Datsyuk is producing just under a point per game at the KHL level. With 28 points in 32 games with St. Petersburg SKA, the "Magic Man" is looking like he could still be a serviceable player if he wanted to return to the National Hockey League one day.

On Tuesday night, Bob McKenzie weighed in on some chatter he's heard in the NHL community that Datsyuk could jump back overseas to North America for the 2019/20 NHL season.

Datsyuk is technically property of the Arizona Coyotes after the Red Wings offloaded his contract to the desert during the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. In the deal, the Red Wings and Coyotes swapped first-round picks (16th overall used to Jakob Chychrun and 20th overall used to select Dennis Cholowski) while adding Joe Vitale and a second-round pick (53rd overall used to select Filip Hronek). In the summer of 2016, Datsyuk announced he'd be returning to his homeland where he's currently in his third season with SKA.

Arizona will lose Datsyuk’s rights at the end of this season, meaning he'll be free to sign with any NHL come July 1st.
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[tfong]

Nah don't do it. Don't tarnish that awesome legacy.

 

[Larkin2AA]

Come home and play a year. Idc if he gets 10 points. I just wanna see that 13 on the ice again.

 

[Syckle78]

Don't tease me,bob.

 

[YpsiWings]

Would be tough to see him in anything but a Winged Wheel.

 

[Ezekial]

I really doubt it.

Putin will pay him 50,000,000,000 rubles to train him in the hockey arts.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Doubt it happens. He'd likely only play for the Wings, but you never know. He could be our #2C & let Nielsen be #3c shutdown C again, or vice versa depending on how they're both playing. Also depends on if Veleno makes the team (fairly likely) & how ready Veleno is for playing C. So many possiblities, I'd love this.

Doubt he'd wanna be a shutdown #3c though, his body may not be able to handle that at 40+. I could see him sharing the #2c load with Nielsen with Nielsen playing road games & Datsyuk at home, while Veleno is groomed for the position. Let LGD do his thing @ #3C. Also he'd instantly improve our PP units, zone entries, ticket & merchandise sales, tv ratings etc.

 

[kliq]

I hope he doesn't come back. His body could barely withstand the physicality of the NHL in his mid thirties, I have no desire to see him try it at 41.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Worst case scenario, give him 1yr. @ $2-3.5M (Vanek's $) and let him play wing on 3rd line, or 4th line C+PP specialist & intangibles.

 

[Reddwit]

Nah don't do it. Don't tarnish that awesome legacy.

Feel like it’s already been tarnished just a little bit.

 

[Claypool]

His legacy is already worse than Fedorov's.

I could see him coming back to play in Washington with Ovechkin. I don't see him wanting to return to Detroit and I would hope the Red Wings don't offer him a contract.

 

[lidstromiscool]

Would be a good mentor for Hughes imo

 

[Lampedampe]

Oh cmon, don't toy with our hearts like that.

I would love to see Dats return for a season, i could care less if he's even half the player he was before leaving he would still easily be better than anyone in our current bottom-6. Let him center a line with Zadina and hughes (yeah i said it )

 

[JoesuffP]

I doubt he would come to the Wings I feel like their relationship is strained. What would be his reason to play for a non playoff team other than money?

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

His legacy is already worse than Fedorov's.

I could see him coming back to play in Washington with Ovechkin. I don't see him wanting to return to Detroit and I would hope the Red Wings don't offer him a contract.

What an insane take.

I’d gladly welcome Pavs back for another year, maybe it’d smooth over some of this craziness.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Bert-Larkin-Mantha-AA-Hronek PP1

Zadina-Datsyuk--Veleno-Green/Cholo PP2

 

[Frk It]

The actual quote from his agent is “this isn’t something he has entertained”.

So spare me another one of these threads, please...

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I don't think there's any reason to believe this is happening.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

What an insane take.

I’d gladly welcome Pavs back for another year, maybe it’d smooth over some of this craziness.

I don't think it's that insane of a take.

To be clear I don't think this is really happening, but if it did then he's a player who broke a contract with the Wings to be near family and finish his career in his home country. If he came back to the NHL to play for any team I'd be annoyed that he left the Wings left like that and that he left Zetterberg to toil away on this crap team without him.

 

[newfy]

His legacy is already worse than Fedorov's.

I could see him coming back to play in Washington with Ovechkin. I don't see him wanting to return to Detroit and I would hope the Red Wings don't offer him a contract.

Come on, worse than Fedorovs? Really?

 

[Claypool]

Come on, worse than Fedorovs? Really?

Did Fedorov leave the Red Wings high and dry while under contract? Or did he leave under his right as a free agent?

Did Fedorov not play in the NHL due to injury but was magically ready to compete at the Olympics while clearly not 100%?

 

[WingsMJN2965]

His legacy is already worse than Fedorov's.

 

[Reddwit]

Everyone’s naturally entitled to their own feelings, but I don’t think the collective fan base would even come close to splitting in Fedorov’s favor. Even factoring in recency bias.

The Wings did a lot more for Fedorov than Datsyuk and yet Feds essentially stepped out on the Wings twice when given the chance - during competitive years no less! I mean, Fedorov helped create the “difficult Russian” archetype. Some of the loudest boo birds I’ve ever heard across the league were directed at Fedorov courtesy of Wings fans. There is simply no contest in my mind.

 

[chances14]

he's my favorite player of all time but I don't want him coming back. he will be even more of a shell of himself. not to mention the whole reason he broke the contract was to supposedly finish his hockey career in Russia. that would all end up being bs if he came back

 

[lilidk]

I hope he doesn't come back. His body could barely withstand the physicality of the NHL in his mid thirties, I have no desire to see him try it at 41.

He was playing 20+ min a game. We have Vanek about 10 min, I think this will be major upgrade over Vanek. Anyway youths not ready yet and they can learn from Pavel. Anyway he needs to stop playing hockey in motor city